(BIVN) – The eruption of Kilauea volcano on Hawaii island has resumed, with high lava fountains once again shooting into the air at the summit caldera. 

This marks the 4th episode of the eruption that began on December 23, 2024. The 3rd episode paused on January 3rd, and the summit has been quiet until today. 

During the pause, there was a constant glow at the inactive vents, which was an indication that magma was still near the surface. Scientists with the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory expected to see the eruption resume this week, based on the rates of inflation that were recorded by summit instruments.

Low-level, continuous lava spattering started around 5:40 this morning, and continued into sunrise. Spattering had been observed at the same vents during the pause, but it wasn’t enough to prompt scientist to declare the eruption had resumed. 

From the USGS HVO at 10:53 a.m. HST:

Activity Summary: Around 9:15 a.m. HST this morning, January 15, 2025, the eruption of Kīlauea within Kaluapele (summit caldera) resumed with a small lava flow exiting the north vent, following low-level continuous lava spattering that started around 5:40 a.m. HST. from the same vent. Around 9:55 a.m., low-level lava fountaining started with more rigorous lava flow activity.

The small sluggish lava flow from the north vent at around 9:15 a.m. today, Wednesday January 15, 2025, marks the beginning of the fourth episode of the ongoing summit eruption. By 9:50 a.m., lava flow activity increased, and lava fountaining began around 9:55 a.m. At time of writing, approximately ten percent of the floor of Halemaʻumaʻu has been covered with new lava, and based on webcam imagery, the lava fountain appears to be 60 meters (200 feet) high. The sluggish, low effusion rate eruptive activity at the start of the fourth eruptive episode was shorter than the sluggish start of second (3-4 hours) and third (2.5 days) eruptive episodes. There are no signs of activity at the south vent.

USGS: “Episode 4 of the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption began this morning, January 15, 2025. Lava fountains resumed erupting from the two vents that have been active in the eruption that began within Halemaʻumaʻu at the summit of Kīlauea volcano on December 23, 2024. Each episode of the eruption has been separated by pauses in eruptive activity lasting less than 24 hours to 12 days.” (USGS photograph by M. Patrick)

The tiltmeter at Uēkahuna continued to record inflation beneath Halemaʻumaʻu starting around 9 a.m. yesterday, and may be starting to show signs of leveling off. Tremor increased when fountaining began, but is still lower than the first two episodes of vigorous high fountains (>250 feet or 80 meters).

If fountaining continues, it is possible that the fountain heights will increase as more gas-rich lava erupted. It is not possible to estimate how high the fountains may get or how long the fountaining will last, but prior episodes have produced fountains over 200 feet high (70 m) that last up to 24 hours.

This is the fourth episode of an eruption that began within Halemaʻumaʻu at the summit of Kīlauea volcano on December 23, 2024. Each episode of lava fountaining has continued for 14 hours to 8 days and episodes have been separated by pauses in eruptive activity lasting a less than 24 hours to 12 days.

USGS: “This reference map depicts the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption within Halema‘uma‘u crater as of January 15, 2025. Most of the included map data were collected during a Hawaiian Volcano Observatory helicopter overflight on January 10, so the provided eruption statistics are current as of the end of the third eruptive episode on January 3. Just this morning, January 15, however, a fourth eruptive episode has begun with lava fountaining and flowing on the western side of the crater floor, so the active lava footprint has been mapped using webcam imagery. Also included here are west-to-east profiles across the summit caldera, depicting topographic changes since 2018. Profiles are provided for the periods before the 2018 caldera collapse, shortly after the 2018 collapse, following each of the five summit eruptions from 2020–2023, and for this eruption following the end of its third episode. Also shown is the maximum depth of the 2019–2020 Halema‘uma‘u water lake.”

The USGS Volcano Alert Level/Aviation Color Code for Kīlauea remain at WATCH/ORANGE. All current and recent activity is within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, and no changes have been detected in the East Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone.